New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Beer Review

New Holland’s Dragon’s Milk has a well deserved reputation as a top tier Imperial Stout, and tonight I will be checking out a derivative of it called Dragon’s Milk Reserve. Aged in oak with chilies, Dragon’s Milk Reserve matches the base beer’s 11% Alcohol By Volume.

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve is a black bodied beer, with a dim deep brown glow when held up to a light source. A small khaki colored head tops it off briefly, minimal lacing with legs running down the glass.

Big, chocolate malts dominate the nose, with plenty of vanilla and wood notes from the oak, a bit of alcohol spice, with a very faint hint of pepper.

A fiery pepper spice underlies the taste, not overwhelming but certainly providing some warmth. Malts start chocolate, lightly roasted, with caramel highlights, neutral yeast, woody oak notes, a bit of earthy hop bitterness but the balance is towards the malts. Alcohol spice lightly compliments the pepper spice, which gains strength as the beer evolves. Mouth is medium-full, smoothly carbonated, with a lingering heat in the finish.

I came into this with high expectations, and they have been met. Dragon’s Milk Reserve might be a touch hotter than some people may like, but combining a top of the line Stout with a nicely incorporated pepper spice makes for a beer both complex and delicious. Definitely worth a try.